This recipe is GREAT when using complex cookie cutters. The dough holds its’ shape and won’t spread during baking.
Make sure you let your oven preheat for at least 1/2 hour before baking these or any other cookies.

Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together.

Chill for 1 to 2 hours (or see Hint below)

Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges (I take out before turning brown, this makes a nice softer cookie). This recipe can make up to 5-dozen 3″ cookies. My cookie cutters are 4″ and 1/4″ thick so I get far less.

HINT: Rolling Out Dough Without the Mess — Rather than wait for your cookie dough to chill, take the freshly made dough and place a glob between two sheets of parchment paper.
Roll it out to the desired thickness then place the dough and paper on a cookie sheet and pop it into the refrigerator. Continue rolling out your dough between sheets of paper until you have used it all. By the time you are finished, the
first batch will be completely chilled and ready to cut. Reroll leftover dough and repeat the process! An added bonus is that you are not adding any additional flour to your cookies. (I place parchment paper on cookie sheet, place dough on paper, place parchment paper on top of dough and roll out between paper. I use ¼” wood slats to create a cookie thick enough to put a cookie stick in. Place ¼” rubber rings on rolling pin or use ¼” sticks on cookie sheet so the rolling pin ends are on the sticks. To use cookie sticks, cookies need to be ¼” thick. Place hand on unbaked cookie, with other hand wiggle the stick into the cookie about halfway up and through the cookie. Bake) I chill rolled out dough then cut and put back in refrigerator too re-chill before baking.

Cookies can be frozen until needed. This makes it nice if you have several batches to bake. Remove from freezer and let get to room temperature before icing. Best to freeze in plastic container to keep from breaking.